Lotus In Rough Weather

The time has come for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to boost its image if it really wants to capture the power without any hitch at the Centre. Undoubtedly, the Congress-led UPA government is facing embarrassment from all corners, but at the same time it is also obvious that all is not well in the BJP and its future is not bright. The former Karnataka BJP Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa thinks that he is above the party and his rebellious attitude highlights the fact that there is a conflict of interests going on in the party. Initially, the way he declares his candidature for the Rajya Sabha, and now his adamant stand to boycott the assembly’s budget session, drive home the message that if he is not made the Chief Minister of the state again, he could create problems for the party. It is right that after his acquittal from the Karnataka High Court in the illegal mining case, he is a strong contender for the post of the CM, but that does not mean that he will dictate the party’s central leadership. For the last few days, he is making illegal demands and it seems that the party is also succumbing to his illogical demands. The moot point is that Yeddyurappa is not the only leader creating problems for the party, but there are also others who have put the saffron party on tenterhooks. As the issue of nomination of candidates for the RS is snowballing into major controversy, it can be inferred that how the inner political squabble has eclipsed the party’s central leadership. It is a mockery that instead of ensuring that its leaders should win, the BJP is focusing on letting independent candidates win to the Rajya Sabha. It is natural that there could be dissenting opinions while selecting a candidate for the Rajya Sabha, but it should not turn into an ugly scene.

The recently concluded assembly elections indicate that the BJP is not in a comfortable position. Though it might be happy over the drubbing received by the Congress in Uttar Pradesh, the fact remains that the poor show of BJP in the state has become a cause of worry for the party. The BJP did achieve success in Goa and Punjab but in Uttarakhand the party became a target of internal bickering. If the BJP wants to emerge as a strong force before the upcoming general elections, it has to solve the internal differences prevalent within the party. The differences within party members are not limited to the state level only but often the central leadership is seen in a conflict. It’s an irony that star campaigner of the BJP and a strong contender for the Prime Ministerial post Narendra Modi did not campaign for the party in the five states that had gone to the polls. It’s high time the BJP pulls up itself.